The invention relates to a knitting machine needle, in particular to a rib dial needle.
In particular considering small circular knitting machines, conditions are restricted around the rib dial. The rib dial forms an annular bed for the accommodation of the rib dial needles that are also referred to as rib needles. Such a small circular knitting machine has been disclosed by WO 2009/013773 A1, for example. The knitting machine described therein comprises a knitting cylinder with vertically arranged cylinder needles and a rib dial with horizontally arranged rib needles. The rib needles are moved by a needle selecting mechanism that is located above the rib dial. The needle selecting mechanism acts on the rib needles by way of pivotally supported selecting members.
Needle selecting systems of this type do not comprise a fixed connection between the selecting members and the rib needles. The selecting members can only shift the rib needles in a radially outward direction. In addition, there is the risk that even a minimal lateral deflection of the selecting member can cause the needle foot to be missed by said selecting member and the needle to be activated in an improper manner. Furthermore, loading the small circular knitting machine requires considerable manual effort because the selecting members and the rib needles must be handled separately.
In addition, connections have also been known in knitting machines, wherein, for example, a knitting machine needle is connected with a selecting or coupling member, such a connection potentially enabling a pivoting movement of the selecting or coupling member. These connections are severable connections that preferably can be severed relative to the transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the knitting machine needle. As a result of this, assembly as well as disassembly of the knitting machine needle and of the selecting member or coupling member can be difficult.
Considering this, it is the object of the invention to provide a knitting machine needle, in particular a rib dial needle, said needle displaying a form-fitting connection between the selecting member and the rib needle.